Assembling apparatus



8- 1932- A. w. PHELPS ET AL 1,873,150 v AS S EMBLI NG APPARATUS Filed Nov. 29', 1929 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 23, 1932- A. w. PHELPS ET AL 1,873,150

ASSEMBLING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 29. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 23, 1932 -A S PATENT OFFICE ALVA iniinrs AND, CLARENCE J. KELLER, OFANDERSON, INDIANA, ASSIGNOBS TO 7 DELCO-BEMY com om'rron. .WARE

or? ANDER SON, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF DELA- AssE BLING APPARATUS A plicati n-flied mama 29, 1929. Serial No. 410,545.

Thisinvention relates to apparatus for assemblingcertain parts of electrical devices such'as for example a metallic leaf spring member adapted to provide a switch contact and threaded member which provides a terminal or binding post for a'fwire to be connectedwith the switch contact. I

It 's on'e of the )b]etS Of the present invention'to provide apparatus for facilitating the mechanical connection'between such parts and to solder them together in order to make a good electrical connection which will be substantially free from corrosion. Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be; apparent from the following description, reference being had to; the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred embodlment' of one 'form offthe present invention is clearly shown. H

In'the drawings: a v r Fig.1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the machine embodying the present invention. I p

-Figs. 2 and 3 are "perspective views showing respectively the parts to be joined. I F ig..4 is a sectional view on a larger scale than Figs. 2 and "3 showing the manner in which, the parts shown in Figs. 2 and 3 are I mechanically connected. v Fig. 5* is aplan view partly in section, the section being 'taken approximately on the line55ofFig.1.- Fig. 6' is a sectional view on the line 6+6 ofFig-l. 1

.Fig. 7 is a fragmentar sectional view on a larger scale and is talie section line" 7-7 of Fig. 5. The assembling apparatus comprises a punch press having a bed supporting pedestals 21 and 22 which providefbearings for a crank shaft 23 "having. eccentrics: (not shown) connected by connecting rods 24 with a vertically reciprocating cross head 25which is guided for vertical movement byways 26 attached to thejpedestals 21. and 22. The bed n on the arcuate' 20 provides a cylindrical boss 30 which pro? vides a bearing for a turn table conveyor 31 supported by the bed 20. Referringto Fig. 7 the turn table 31 is provided with acircularrow of holes 32, each adapted to receive a tubular terminal member 100, shown in perspective in Fig. 3. Each work holder opening 32 also receives a plunger 33 which is adapted to ride or engage acam 34 for the purpose of ejecting the work as the table 31 moves from left towardright as viewed in Fig 7 The cam 34 is supported by or may be integral with the bed 20 and is arcuate in plan view and is received b an annular groove 35 provided on the un er side of the table 31.. v p

The table 31 is moved intermittently through an angular distance corresponding to the angular spacing of the work holder openings '32 by mechanism driven by the punch press shaft 23. This mechanism in,- cludes acrank disc 40 attached to a vertical shaft 41 mounted in bearings 42 and 43 and driven fromshaft 23 by a train of bevel gears 44 having a one-to-one ratio. The crank disc 40 carries a pin 45 connected by a link 46'with a pin 47 carried by a slide 48 guided by ways 49 and 50 supported by the bed 20. The slide 48 carries a screw 51 providing a pivotal sup,- port for apawl 52, the point 53 of which engages successively the notches 54 provided at the periphery of the table 31. The pawl 52 is yieldingly urgedtoward the table 31 by a spring 55 having its end attached respectlve- 1y with a stud 56 carried by the slide 48 and with a stud 57 carried 'by'the pawl 52. The slide 48 will make one complete oscillation for each revolution of the shaft 23. The crank 40 is so timed relative to the eccentrics which operate the cross headv25 that while the cross head 25 moves upwardly theslide 48 will move toward the right in order to ro'; tate the table 31 counterclockwise as viewed in Fig.5. Consequently, when the cross head 25 moves downwardly the slide48 will move toward the left in order to back the pawl 52 into the next succeeding notch 54. The table 31 is prevented from backing up or over-travelling by brake shoe 58 yieldingly urged against the periphery of the table 31 by spring 59 which is located between one end of a bushing 60 threaded into a block 61 attached by screws 62 to the base 20 and a washer 63 which is located within a recess 61 provided by the brake shoe 58 and which surrounds a bolt 65 which extends through the brake shoe 58 and which receives a nut 66 which cooperates with the head 67 of the bolt to clamp the shoe 58 to the bolt. The brake shoe 58 is guided for horizontal movements of adjustment by screws 68 passing through elongated holes 69 in the shoe 58.

The work piece shown in Fig. 3 is provided with a flange 101 at oneend and with a threaded central bore 102 for receiving a screw by which a wire maybe attached to the part 100. The other work part to which the part 100 is to be attached may be for example a metallic leaf spring conductor shown in Fig. 2 which is adapted to form an electric contact. The conductor 110 is provided with a somewhat star-shaped opening 111 through which the main portion of the part 100 may extend but through which the flange 101 thereof will not pass. One of the operations to be performed by the present machine is that of pressing some of the material of the flange 100 down into the notches 112 which define the opening 111. Referring to Fig. 4 numeral 113 refers to those portions of the flange 101 which have been deformed and caused toflow into the notches 112 of the part 110. In this way the parts 100 and 110 are mechanically connected so that relative rotation between them cannot take place. This is desirable considering the fact that the part 100 is to receive a terminal screw and that it is not desirable that the part 100 be permitted to turn while turning the screw,

otherwise it might be impossible to tighten or loosen the screw. The operation of forcing the flange 101 into the notches 11 2 of the opening 111 is accomplished by squeezing the flange 101 between the part 110 and a rod or punch which is carried by the cross head 25. the parts 100 and 110 being supported by il e table 31 as shown at 100a and 110a in The next operation to be performed by the present machine is that of heating the work pieces to a temperature sufiicient to melt a. stick of soldier applied to them. Soldering is necessary so that the pieces cannot be separated by relative endwise movement of the member 100 with respect to the member 110 and also so that a non-corroding electrical contact may be made between the pieces. The heating of the work pieces is accomplished by passing an electrical current through them. In order to accomplish this one of the wires 120 connected with a source of current supply is connected by a terminal screw 121 with a brush holder 122 mounted on a nonconducting bar 123 attached to the pedestals 21 and 22 by screws 124. The brush holder 122 guides a carbon brush 125 which is pressed downwardly against a table 31 by a spring 126 confined between the upper end of the brush 125 and the lower end of a screw 127 threaded into a bracket 128 attached to the brush holder 122. The other wire 130 connected with a current source is attached by wing screw 131 to a terminal socket 132 in turn attached by screw 133 to the lower end of a rod 134 which slides through a tubular guide 135 threadedly connected with a second tubular guide 136 which is integral with a bracket 137 insulatingly supported by angle bracket 138 as through the insulator 138a, attached byscrews 139 to the cross head 25. The rod 134 provides a socket 140' for a carbon electrode 141 which is retained in the socket by screw 142. The rod 134 is yieldingly urged downwardly by a spring 1413 bearing at its upper end against the part136 and at its lower end against a. screw pin 144, the head of which is accessible through a slot 145 in the part 135. The bracket 137 is so located that the carbon 141 will be vertically above the work when located at position C in Fig. 5.

When the work is at station C the pieces will have been moved vertically upward from the position B in Fig. 7 to the position 0 in Fig. 7 in which the pieces are referred to by numerals 100?) and 110?). When the punch press head 25 descends to cause the punch 120 to operate upon the work located at station B the carbon electrode 141 will be caused to yieldingly engage the work piece 1006 at station 0 (see Fig. 7). Due to the fact that piece 1006 is relatively small in cross sectional dimensions as compared with other conducting bodies to which the wires 120 and 130 are attached, the piece 1006 will be quickly heated to a temperature above the melting point of solder to be applied to the joint between the parts 1006 and 11%. While these parts are still hot the end of a stick of solder is applied thereto and a small portion of melted solder flows to the joint between the parts in order to seal the joint against corrosion and to prevent separation of the pieces by relative endwise movement thereof.

After receiving the solder the work paxes to station I), and upon arriving there it will have been lifted by the ejector cam 34 into the positions indicated by reference numerals 1000 and 1100. The work will then fall upon the table as indicated by numerals 100d and 110d in Fig. 1 and will be caused to engage a bar extending over the table from a block 151 fixed to the boss 30 and so located as to cause a number of assemblies of parts to accumulate on the left hand side of their" 150 as viewed in Fig. 1 and to be pushed from the table 31 into a suitable chute 160.

An operator whose hands are located approximatel at station A in Figs. 1 and 5, fills the work liolding recesses with the work pieces 100 which are pushed through arts 1 101 and also applies thereto a suitable liquid flux contained in a small pot 155 attached to the boss 30. The work is carried automatibut it will be readily understood that it may be swung into the line of vision between the second operator and the electrode 141. In order to protect the table31 from contact with the electrode 141 in case a work holding recess should be empty at the time it arrives at station C, there is provided a bar 180 pivoted at 181 upon the bed 20 and yieldingly urged by a spring 182 against a piece of work 100 which may have been located in the position 100?) at the time it arrives at station C. If, however, there is no such work piece 100 in a work holding recess 32 then located vertically below the electrode 141, the bar 180 will be moved by the spring 182 so as to cover that portion of the table 31 which is vertically below the electrode 141. Movement of the lever or bar 180 in a counterclockwise direction by the spring 182 is limited by a stop 183 provided by a strap 184 which is secured to the bed 20 for the purpose of retaining the bar 80 in proper position. Therefore, if there isno work in a work holding recess at station C at the time the electrode 141 descends, the electrode will strike the'bar 180 instead of the table 31. Since the bar 180 is an inexpensive, easily replaceable part no particular damage to the machine is done resulting from burning this bar by the heated electrode.

While the form of embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted,

all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

l/Vhat is claimed is as follows:

1. Assembling apparatus comprising, in combination, a plurality of metallic work holders each adapted to support metal parts to be connected together, a metallic conveyor carrying the work holders, means for pressing one of the parts against another part, means for electrically heating the parts in order that solder applied thereto will flow to the joint'between them, said] heating means comprising a conductor connected with a current source and with a brush bearing against the conveyor and a movable electrode connected with the current'source, means for preventin contact between the electrode and work hol er in case there is no work in the work holder, means for ejecting the assembled work from the work holders, and meansfor intermittentlylmov'ing'the conveyor to move the work holders successively past the pressing means, the heating means and the ejecting means.

2. Assembling apparatus comprising, in combination, a metallic conveyor providing a series of work holders each adapted to support metal parts to be connected together and means for electrically heating the parts in succession and including a conductor con nected with a current source and with a brush engaging the conveyor and an electrode connected with the current source and movable into engagement with the work.

3. Apparatus accordin to claim 2 further characterized as having means for preventing the engagement of the electrode with the work holder in case there is no work in the work holder.

4. Assembling apparatus comprising, in combination, a vertically movable head and means for reciprocating the same, a horizontal, circular conveyor table providing a plurality of work holders arranged in a circular row and movable successively under the head, means for intermittently rotating the conveyor, a tool attached to the head and operable to deform one of the parts to be assembled against another part located by the work holder, and means for heating the parts carried by the work holder in order that solder applied thereto will flow to the joint between them, said means comprising a vertically movable member attached to the head.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 further characterized as having electrical heating means comprising a brush adapted to be connected with a current source and engaging the conveyor and a vertically movable electrode carried by the head.

6. Assembling apparatus comprising, in combination, a vertically movable head and means for reciprocating the same, a horizontal circular conveyor table providing a plurality of work holders arranged in a circular row and movable successively under the head, means for intermittently rotating the conveyor, a tool attached to the head and operable to compress one of the parts to beassembled againstanother part located by the work holder, and an electrical heating means for heating the parts carried by the work holder in order that solder applied thereto will flow to the joint between them, said means including abrush adapted to be connected with a current source and engageable with the conveyor and an electrode adapted to engage the work and vertically movable with the head means for preventing contact between the electrode and the Work holder in case there is no work in the work holder, and means for ejecting the work from the Work holder.

In testimony whereof we hereto afiix our A signatures.

ALVA W. PHELPS. C. J. KELLER. 

